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Reaction split on EPA carbon proposal

ATLANTA | Reaction to a federal proposal to reduce carbon emissions 30 percent by 2030 has split along ideological lines in Georgia.

Environmental groups in the state hailed it as a victory, noting that Georgia once generated more than half its electricity by burning coal, a major source of carbon emissions.

The nation’s largest single source of carbon emissions is Georgia Power Company’s Plant Shearer in Macon.

Achieving the ambitious goal will create jobs, the environmental groups argue, because the state’s utilities will need to hire people to install equipment to use renewable sources like solar, wind and biomass.

“The new safeguards not only protect our health and communities, but they will also spur innovation and strengthen our economy,” said Ashten Bailey, attorney with GreenLaw, a Georgia based legal advocacy. “By moving to 100 percent clean affordable energy sources, we’ll create tens of thousands of Georgia jobs and billions of dollars in new investment.”

However, the Georgia Public Service Commission believes the proposal will result in lost jobs.

Commissioners said the proposal will force a hike in electricity rates, which will cost jobs as customers back off of on hiring to afford the new rates and manufacturers relocate their factories overseas where rates are cheaper.

“This will raise electricity prices. There are no ifs, ands or buts about it,” said Commission Chairman Chuck Eaton, noting that in the last two rate hikes, half of the added expense was due to environmental regulations.

The proposal would require Georgia and other states to draft a plan for rolling back emissions to 30 percent lower than they were in 2005.

But the country has already achieved a 12 percent reduction since then, in part because new technology has made it cheaper to burn cleaner natural gas to generate power.

In anticipation of these tougher standards, Georgia Power won the commission’s approval to close 15 of its older, coal-burning generation plants. Some others will be converted to natural gas.

As recently as 2011, 62 percent of Georgia Power’s generation came from coal, but it dropped to 35 percent last year.

The proposal immediately became an issue in the race to succeed U.S. Sen. Saxby Chambliss, R-Ga.

Rep. Jack Kingston and businessman David Perdue, who are locked in a runoff for the Republican nomination, each issued strong words against it and President Barack Obama for bypassing Congress.

“This ideologically driven policy will have devastating and disastrous results for Georgia by artificially raising the costs of nearly everything, destroying good private-sector jobs, and hindering the kind of economic growth our state needs to improve the lives of each and every Georgian,” Kingston said.

Perdue spokesman Derrick Dickey offered a similar assessment.

“These are the kind of shortsighted regulations that ultimately burden families and businesses at a time when they can least afford it,” he said. “David wants to rein in overreaching EPA bureaucrats and focus on developing a feasible long-term domestic energy plan.”

Michelle Nunn, the Democratic nominee, remained noncommittal.

“I am reviewing the new guidelines and, like many Georgians, I have questions about their potential impact on our state and our economy,” she said. “... Reducing carbon pollution is vital for our kids’ health, our national security and our long-term economic prosperity, but we must do so in a manner that protects a diverse energy supply, is affordable for consumers, and encourages job growth through innovation of new technologies and renewable energy sources.”